Gobies are small fishes, no more than 2 inches. In fact, some of the world’s smallest vertebrates are members of this family of fish. In general, gobies have bright colors with markings that help them to be identified. They live on the bottom of the reef feeding from smaller invertebrates such as shrimps, worms, and mollusks. However few species act as cleaners, eating parasites from the bodies, mouths, and gills of larger fishes.
Gobies and blennies are commonly confused. But an easy way to identify them is that gobies have two separate dorsal fins except those known as triple fins, which have three sections of their dorsal fins. In the reefs of the Sea of Cortes is very common to find the blue-banded goby: a brilliant red body with four to nine electric-blue bars. The head has a clear blue mask that covers most parts of it.
The zebra goby is a very similar fish but much more difficult to see because is very shy and usually darts deeper into the rock cracks of the reef. Both fishes are very common to be confused with each other. The zebra goby has also a brilliant red body but has numerous thin bright blue bands from head to tail.
Today we were able to spot both of them during our dives.
- Divemaster Juan David
